continentalize

transitive verb

con·​ti·​nen·​tal·​ize

ˌkäntᵊnˈentᵊlˌīz,

-təˈne-,

-təˌlīz

-ed/-ing/-s

1

: to make continental in scope, character, culture, or ideas

continentalize American literature as a protest against local color

—Carl Van Doren

2

sometimes capitalized : to affect with the ways or ideas of European culture

the gradual continentalizing of American habits of recreation

—Nation

Word History

Etymology

probably from French continentaliser, from continental (from English) + -iser -ize

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